DoorDash is going to start using self-driving cars to deliver groceries and takeout
- DoorDash is partnering with General Motors' Cruise autonomous-vehicles unit to deliver food and groceries.
- The test is starting in the San Francisco area, the companies announced on Thursday.
- Self-driving cars have been a growing presence in the food and grocery delivery business.
Your DoorDash delivery may soon be arriving via self-driving car.
On Thursday, DoorDash announced it is partnering with General Motors' Cruise autonomous-vehicles unit to deliver food and groceries. The program will kick off early this year in the San Francisco area.
"We see autonomous vehicles playing a major role in the future of delivery as consumer behaviors continue to shift online, and we are confident Cruise's leading technology will help us scale to meet growing consumer demand," Tony Xu, CEO of DoorDash, said in a statement.
For now, a DoorDash delivery person will be present in the self-driving car and bring the groceries or meal to the doorstep. In the future, customers will be able to decide between picking up a delivery from the curb or via a fully autonomous delivery system.
The partnership is starting with one merchant and one vehicle, with plans to add more cars and merchants in the future.
Self-driving cars have been a growing presence in the food and grocery delivery business. Ford and Postmates announced plans to collaborate on a self-driving delivery service last June. Kroger partnered with robotics-company Nuro to deliver groceries in Scottsdale, Arizona. Domino's began testing self-driving cars in 2017.